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Posts archive for Mar, 2017

Staff College & RMS Sandhurst Draghounds helping the Kimblewick Hunt out on 210217. This was the day when Hounds Off volunteers learnt that the Buckinghamshire-based Kimblewick Hunt hounds had been infected with bovine tuberculosis.

That hunting with hounds poses a biosecurity risk, especially in relation to spreading bovine tuberculosis, comes as no surprise. We have been raising this issue for some time now. Confirmation that a pack of registered foxhounds in Buckinghamshire has contracted the disease should set alarm bells ringing. The question marks surrounding hunting and biosecurity, the risks which hunting with hounds pose to farm animal health, just got real and serious.

It is surely inconceivable that the self-styled “Guardians of the Countryside” can carry on like normal – or is it? As this scandal unfolds we will all be able to judge for ourselves who has the best interests of animal welfare and wildlife conservation at heart.

Hounds Off learned of the Kimblewick Hunt hounds contracting bovine tuberculosis on February 21st 2017. Here is how it happened:

Acting on information received, a small Hounds Off team recently monitored two meets of the Kimblewick Hunt in Berkshire near to where, last season, their hounds ran through a private garden. Our job was to protect this land forbidden to hunting.

On Valentines Day the meet was near Compton, a village not far from Junction 13 of the M4. It was a poorly attended hunt. We counted less than twenty riders, half a dozen car followers and three quad bikes. Twice hounds found a scent and went on cry, both times the chase ended inconclusively after five minutes with us in close attendance, cameras ready, at the sharp end. The second time hounds were running all over the road at Applepie Hill in a dodgy combination with narrow, undulating bends and fast traffic. They packed up mid afternoon and, from a monitoring perspective, we were pleased. The property we set out to protect was never in danger. One thing confused us though. The Kimblewick Hunt jacket is mustard coloured but the Huntsman on this day was wearing green. We asked around our contacts but nobody could explain.

On February 21 we returned to the Kimblewick who were hunting between Compton and Streatley. From the meet hounds took off after some deer, ran over the hills and far away. There was much hanging around and waiting. We were parked on a by-way near the village of Aldworth, watching through binoculars. A hunter wearing the Kimblewick mustard jacket disappeared after the hounds but the man in charge, the chap trying to gather hounds by calling with his voice and horn, was wearing green. Through the binos we recognised him from the week before.

Presently a blue Suzuki pulled up behind our vehicle and a lady hunt follower came over to say hello. Her name was Mary and we chatted. Mary was clearly unaware of who we were or why we were there. First thing we asked was who is the Huntsman wearing green? Mary informed us that he was Luke Chatfield from the Staff College & RMA Sandhurst Draghounds. Then she told us the reason why he was hunting and it was hard to believe!

According to Mary, the Kimblewick hounds had contracted bovine tuberculosis and the whole season “has been a write-off.” Their scheduled meets, she said, have been taken by visiting packs. On Feb 21 she said it should have been one of the Devon hunts but they pulled out at the last minute so the Draghounds, who are quite local anyway, filled in. Mary let slip that twenty-six of the Kimblewick hounds had been put down just last week.

Draghounds do genuinely hunt an artificial scent so we asked Mary what exactly was being hunted on this day; an artificial drag, fox-based trail or live quarry? She said that “accidents happen” and that she intended to stay out well into the afternoon. We know a bit about hunting and observed that things often hot up around 3pm. “Ah yes, the Three O’Clock Fox,” purred Mary with a knowing smile.

Mary said that the Duke of Beaufort Hunt was guesting on Saturday 25 Feb at Kingston Blount to finish this disastrous season, which normally runs into April. We chatted a bit more then, with the lull ongoing, she returned to sit in her car.

Efforts were still being made in the distance to gather scattered hounds and resume hunting. Presently an elderly chap walked into view and stopped to compare observations too. He was called John and, independently, confirmed that the Kimblewick hounds had contracted bovine tuberculosis. He said how they contracted bTB was “a mystery” but reckoned the “Ministry” were looking in to it.

“It’s all new,” conceded John, “the first time ever.”

Realising the profound implications for hunting if what we had just been told was officially confirmed but playing it cool, we talked about the poor show so far and wondered why the hounds were allowed to get away on the deer. Then John walked to Mary’s car and they wagged chins for a bit.

After that we were pleased to confirm that it was genuine draghunting, not fox hunting, which ensued. Apart from a dodgy five minutes when we were surrounded by estate workers, lads on quad bikes and one who sat on our bonnet to obstruct legitimate passage along a by-way (which diffused when an actual by-way sign right next to us was pointed out), it was all very half-hearted.

Immediately after the hunt had finished we put in a Freedom Of Information request to DEFRA regarding the Kimblewick revelations, then got stuck in to investigating. We soon discovered that in 2011 Irish hunting hounds were found to have been found infected with bTB.

Three days later, on Friday February 24, Hounds Off received information of an anonymous email sent to an anti hunting campaign group which, we were told, contained three salient points:

1. The Kimblewick Hunt hounds contracted bTB from eating infected cattle flesh.
2. 40 hounds have been destroyed in the last 10 days.
3. The Masters Of Foxhounds Association (MFHA) is covering the whole thing up.

Since then we have worked with the League Against Cruel Sports and Daily Mirror journalist Ben Glaze to verify as much of the above as possible. This is not our ‘story’ nor theirs. It belongs to all of us who care about wildlife conservation and animal welfare. If you are reading this and have a question, ask it. One thing is for certain – there is much more which remains unclear and needs to be found out!

Staff College & RMS Sandhurst Draghounds helping the Kimblewick Hunt out on 210217. This was the day when Hounds Off volunteers learnt that the Buckinghamshire-based Kimblewick Hunt hounds had been infected with bovine tuberculosis.

Hounds Off is a free online resource designed to help homeowners, landowners and tenants to protect their properties, livestock and pets from hunt trespass. Hounds Off supports the Hunting Act 2004, which prohibits the hunting of wild mammals with dogs.

When the hunters killed a fox behind our gardens I contacted Hounds Off and they helped us to stop this happening here again. CR, Kent